Minute Hermit
Phaethornis idaliae
The Minute Hermit (Phaethornis idaliae) is a rare hummingbird found only in Brazil, weighing about 3 g. The minute hermit is a tiny species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae.
About the Minute Hermit
The minute hermit is a tiny species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Brazil.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The minute hermit is one of the world's smallest birds. It is 8.4 to 9.2 cm (3.31 to 3.62 in) long and weighs 1.8 to 2.7 g (0.06 to 0.10 oz). The male has dark iridescent green upperparts and a dark brown throat. The female's underparts are reddish orange. Both sexes have a black "mask" and a pale supercilium and malar stripe. Voice: The minute hermit's song is "a high-pitched note repeated 3–4 times, followed by an accelerated descending warble" sung from a low perch.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Minute Hermit can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Minute Hermit?
- The minute hermit is one of the world's smallest birds. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Minute Hermit?
- The Minute Hermit is a tiny sized bird weighing about 3 g.
- Where can you see a Minute Hermit?
- The Minute Hermit is endemic to Brazil, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Minute Hermit?
- The Minute Hermit is most easily confused with the Buff-bellied Hermit, the White-browed Hermit and the Streak-throated Hermit.
- Is the Minute Hermit endangered?
- The Minute Hermit is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Minute Hermit for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.